Funeral Readings

Reading from the Book of Job

Job answered and said:

“O that my words were written down!
O that they were inscribed in a book!

O that with an iron pen and with lead
they were engraved on a rock forever!

For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and that at the last he will stand upon the earth;

and after my skin has been thus destroyed,
then in my flesh I shall see God,
whom I shall see on my side.”

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the book of Wisdom

But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
and no torment will ever touch them.

In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,
and their departure was thought to be a disaster,
and their going from us to be their destruction;
but they are at peace.

For though in the sight of others
they were punished,
their hope is full of immortality.

Having been disciplined a little,
they will receive great good,
because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;
like gold in the furnace he tried them,
and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them.

In the time of their visitation
they will shine forth,
and will run like sparks through the stubble.

They will govern nations and rule over peoples,
and the Lord will reign over them forever.

Those who trust in him will understand truth,
and the faithful will abide with him in love,
because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones,
and he watches over his elect.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the Book of Wisdom

But the righteous,
though they die early,
will be at rest.

For old age is not honored for length of time,
or measured by number of years;
but understanding is gray hair for anyone,
and a blameless life is ripe old age.

There were some who pleased God and were loved by him,
and while living among sinners were taken up.

They were caught up so that evil
might not change their understanding
or guile deceive their souls.

For the fascination of wickedness obscures what is good,
and roving desire perverts the innocent mind.

Being perfected in a short time, they fulfilled long years;
for their souls were pleasing to the Lord,
therefore he took them quickly from the midst of wickedness.

Yet the peoples saw and did not understand,
or take such a thing to heart,
that God's grace and mercy are
with his elect, and that he watches over his
holy ones.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the Prophet Isaiah

On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines.

He will destroy on this mountain
the shroud that is cast over all peoples,
the sheet that is spread over all nations;
he will swallow up death forever.

Then the Lord GOD will wipe
away the tears from all faces,
and the disgrace of his people
he will take away from all the earth,
for the LORD has spoken.

It will be said on that day,
Lo, this is our God;
we have waited for him,
so that he might save us.

This is the LORD for whom we have waited;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the book of Lamentations

My soul is bereft of peace;
I have forgotten what happiness is;

I say,
“Gone is my glory,
and all that I had hoped for from the LORD.
The thought of my affliction and
my homelessness is wormwood and gall!

My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me.

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

"The LORD is my portion," says my soul,
"therefore I will hope in him."

The LORD is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul that seeks him.

It is good that one should wait quietly.
for the salvation of the LORD.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the book of the prophet Daniel

I, Daniel, mourned and I heard this word of the Lord:

"At that time Michael, the great prince,
the protector of you people, shall arise.

There shall be time of anguish,
such as has never occurred
since nations first came into existence.

But at that time your people shall be delivered,
everyone who is found written in the book.

Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
some to everlasting life,
and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky,
and those who lead many to righteousness,
like the stars forever and ever."

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the Second Book of Maccabees

Judas, the ruler of Israel,
took up a collection, man by man,
to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver,
and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering.

In doing this he acted very well and honorably,
taking ac­count of the resurrection.

For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen
would rise again,
it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead.

But if he was looking to the splendid reward
that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness,
it was a holy and pious thought.

There­fore he made atonement for the dead,
so that they might be delivered from their sin.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading From the Prophet Isaiah

Instead of bronze I will bring you gold,
and silver in place of iron.

Instead of wood I will bring you bronze,
and iron in place of stones.

I will make peace your governor
and righteousness your ruler.

No longer will violence be heard in your land,
nor ruin or destruction within your borders,
but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.

The sun will no more be your light by day,
nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you,
for the Lord will be your everlasting light,
and your God will be your glory.

Your sun will never set again,
and your moon will wane no more;
the Lord will be your everlasting light,
and your days of sorrow will end.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the Prophet Isaiah

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name, you are mine,
Should you pass through the sea, I will be with you;
or through rivers, they will not swallow you up.

Should you walk through fire, you will not be scorched
and the flames will not burn you.
For I am Yahweh, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.
because you are honoured and I love you,
I give people in exchange for you,
peoples in return for your life.

Do not be afraid, for I am with you
I have created you for my glory,
And I have formed you whom I have made.
I will never forget you,
See I have carved you on the palm of my hand.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from Ecclesiastes

There is a season for everything,
a time for every occupation under heaven:
A time for giving birth,
a time for dying
A time for planting,
a time for uprooting what has been planted.
A time for killing,
a time for healing;
A time for knocking down,
a time for building.
A time for tears,
a time for laughter;
A time for mourning,
a time for dancing.
A time for throwing stones away,
a time for gathering them up.
 A time for embracing,
a time to refrain from embracing.
A time for searching,
a time for losing;
A time for keeping,
a time for throwing way.
A time for tearing,
a time for sewing;
A time for keeping silent,
a time for speaking.
A time for loving,
a time for hating;
A time for war,
a time for peace.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the Book of Proverbs

A perfect wife - who can find her?
She is far beyond the price of pearls.

Her husband's heart has confidence in her,
From her he will derive no little profit

Advantage and not hurt she brings him
All the days of her life.

She is always busy with wool and with flax,
She does her work with eager hands.
She is like a merchant vessel
Bringing her food from far away
She gets up while it is still dark
Giving her household their food
She finds her labour well worth while;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She holds out her hand to the poor,
She opens her arms to the needy.
When she opens her mouth, she does so wisely;
On her tongue is kindly instruction.
She keeps good watch on the conduct of her household,
No bread of idleness for her.
Her sons and daughters stand up and proclaim her blessed,
Her husband, too, sings her praises:

Many women have done admirable things,
But you surpass them all!

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the book of Proverbs

A capable wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life
She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant, she brings her food from far away.
She rises while it is still night, and provides food for her household
and tasks for her servant-girls.
She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She girds herself with strength, and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid for her household when it snows,
for all her household are clothed in crimson.
She makes herself coverings; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the city gates,
taking his seat among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them; she supplies the merchant with sashes.
Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household,
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her happy; her husband too, and he praises her:
"Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all."
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her a share in the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the city gates.

The Word of the Lord

A reading from the book of Sirach

If you come forward to serve the Lord,
Prepare yourself for temptation.
Set your heart right and be steadfast,
And do not be hasty in time of calamity.
Hold on to God and do not depart,
That you may be honored at the end of your life.

Accept whatever is brought upon you,
And in changes that humble be patient.
For gold is tested in the fire,
And acceptable people in the furnace of humiliation.
Trust in God, and god will help you;
Make your ways straight, and hope in God.

You who have awe of the Lord,
Wait for God's mercy;
And turn not aside,
Lest you fall.
You who have awe of the Lord,
Trust in God, and your reward will not fail;

You who have awe of the Lord,
Hope for the good things,
For everlasting joy and mercy will be yours.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the prophet Isaiah

Thus says the Lord; at the favourable time I will answer you,
On the day of salvation I will help you.
I will restore the land and assign you to the estates that lie waste.
I will say to the prisoners, 'come out',
To those who are in darkness, 'show yourselves '.

On every roadway they will graze, and each bare height shall be their pasture.
They will never hunger or thirst,
Scorching wind and sun shall never plague them;
for he who pines them will lead them
And guide them to springs of water.
I will make a highway of all the mountains,
And the high roads shall be banked up.

Some are on their way from afar,
Others from the north and the west,
Others from the land of Sinim.
Shout for joy, you heavens; exult, you earth!
You mountains, break into happy cries!
For the Lord consoles his people
And takes pity on those who are afflicted.

For Zion was saying, 'Yahweh has abandoned me,
the Lord has forgotten me'.
Does a woman forget her baby at the breast,
Or fail to cherish the child of her womb?
Yet even if these forget,
I will never forget you
See, I have carved you on the palm of my hand.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the book of Deuteronomy

See, today I set before you
life and prosperity,
death and disaster.
If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God
that I enjoin on you today,
if you love Lord your God and follow his ways,
if you keep his commandments,
his laws, his customs, you will live and increase,
and the Lord your God will bless you in the land
which you are entering to make your own.

But if your heart strays,
if you refuse to listen,
if you let yourself be drawn into worshiping other gods
and serving them,
I tell you today, you will most certainly perish;
you will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan
to enter and possess.

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today:
I set before you life or death,
blessing or curse.

Choose life, then, so that you and your descendants may live,
in the love of the Lord your God, obeying his voice, clinging to him;
for in this your life consists,
and on this depends your long stay
in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob he would give them.

The Word of the Lord

A reading from the prophet Ezekiel

The hand of the lord came upon me,
And he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord
And set me down in the middle of a valley; It was full of bones.
He led me all around them;
There were very many lying in the valley,
And they were very dry.
He said to me, "Mortal, can these bones live?"
Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them:
O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.
Thus says the Lord God to these bones;
I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.
I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh
To come upon you, and cover you with skin,
And put breath in you, and you shall live;
And you shall know that I am the Lord.
So I prophesied as I had been commanded;
And as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise,
A rattling, and the bones came together,
Bone to its bone.
I looked, and there were sinews on them,
And flesh had come upon them,
And skin had covered them:
But there was no breath in them.
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal -
And say to the breath; Thus says the Lord God: come from the four winds,
O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.”
I prophesied as he commanded me,
And the breath came into them,
And they lived and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.
Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel.”
They say, “our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost.”

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the Book of Wisdom

There is in her a spirit
that is intelligent, holy,
unique, manifold, subtle,
mobile, clear, unpolluted,
distinct, invulnerable,
loving the good, keen,
irresistible, beneficent,
humane,
steadfast, sure,
free from anxiety,
all-powerful, overseeing all,
and penetrating through all spirits
that are intelligent, pure, and altogether subtle.

For wisdom is more mobile than any motion;
because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things.

For she is a breath of the power of God,
and a pure emanation of the glory of the almighty.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles

Peter began to speak to them:
"I truly understand that God shows no partiality,
but in every na­tion anyone who fears him
and does what is right is acceptable to him.
You know the message he sent to the people of Israel,
preaching peace by Jesus Christ - he is Lord of all.

That message spread throughout Judea,
be­ginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced:
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and with power;
how he went about doing good and healing
all who were oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.

We are witnesses to all that he did
both in Judea and in Jerusalem.
They put him to death by hanging him on a tree;
but God raised him on the third day
and al­lowed him to appear,
not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses,
and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead

He commanded us to preach to the people
and to testify that he is the one ordained by God
as judge of the living and the dead.
All the prophets testify about him
that everyone who believes in him
receives forgiveness of sins through his name”.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans

Therefore, since we are justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have obtained ac­cess to this grace in which we stand; and we
boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.

And not only that,
but we also boast in our sufferings,
knowing that suffering produces en­durance,
and endurance produces character,
and character produces hope,
and hope does not disappoint us,
because God's love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

For while we were still weak,at the right time Christ died for the un­godly.
Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person
- though per­haps for a good person someone might actually dare to die.

But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.

Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood,
will we be saved through him from the wrath of God.

For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son,
much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.

But more than that,
we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have now received reconciliation.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans

If, because of the one man's trespass,
death exercised dominion through that one,
much more surely will those who receive
the abundance of grace
and the free gift of righteousness
exer­cise dominion in life through the one man,
Jesus Christ.

Therefore just as one man's tres­pass
led to condemnation for all,
so one man's act of righteousness
leads to justification and life for all.

For just as by the one man's disobedience
the many were made sinners,
so by the one man's obedience
the many will be made righteous.

But law came in,
with the result that the trespass multi­plied;
but where sin increased,
grace abounded all the more, so that,
just as sin exercised dominion in death,
so grace might also exercise dominion
through justification leading to eter­nal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans

Do you not know that all of us
who have been baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death?

Therefore we have been buried
with him by baptism into death, so that,
just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father,
so we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his,
we will cer­tainly be united with him in a resurrec­tion like his.

We know that our old self was crucified with him
so that the body of sin might be destroyed,
and we might no longer be enslaved to sin.

For whoever has died is freed from sin.
But if we have died with Christ,
we believe that we will also live with him.

We know that Christ,
being raised from the dead,
will never die again;
death no longer has dominion over him.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from Paul’s Letter to the Romans

All who are led by the Spirit of God
are children of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you have received a spirit of adoption.

When we cry, "Abba! Fat­her!"
it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit
that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs,
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ
- if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

I consider that the sufferings of this present time
are not worth comparing
with the glory about to be re­vealed to us.

For the creation waits with eager longing
for the revealing of the children of God;
for the creation was subjected to futility,
not of its own will but by the will of the one who sub­jected it,
in hope that the creation itself will be set free
from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom
of the glory of the children of God.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning
in labor pains until now;
and not only the creation, but we ourselves,
who have the first fruits of the Spirit,
groan inwardly while we wait for adoption,
the redemption of our bodies.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans

If God is for us, who is against us?
He who did not withhold his own Son,
but gave him up for all of us will he not with him
also give us everything else?

Who will bring any charge against God's elect?
It is God who justifies.
Who is to condemn?
It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes,
who was raised,
who is at the right hand of God,
who indeed intercedes for us.

Who will separate us from the love of Christ?

Will hardship, or distress,
or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

No, in all these things
we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor rulers,
nor things present, nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor anything else in all of creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God
in Chest Jesus our Lord.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans

We do not live to ourselves,
and we do not die to ourselves.

If we live, we live to the Lord,
and if we die, we die to the Lord;
so then, whether we live or whether we die,
we are the Lord's.

For to this end Christ died and lived again,
so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister?
Or you, why do you despise your brother or sis­ter?
For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

For it is writ­ten,

"As I live, says the Lord,
every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God."

So then, each of us will be account­able to God.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians

Christ has been raised from the dead,
the first fruits of those who have died.

For since death came through a human being,
the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being;
for as all die in Adam,
so all will be made alive in Christ.

But each in his own order:
Christ the first fruits,
then at his com­ing those who belong to Christ.

Then comes the end,
when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father,
after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

For "God has put all things in subjection under his feet."
But when it says, "All things are put in subjection,"
it is plain that this does not include
the one who put all things in subjection under him.

When all things are subjected to him,
then the Son himself will also be sub­jected
to the one who put all things in subjection under him,
so that God may be all in all.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians

Listen, I will tell you a mystery.
We will not all die,
but we will all be changed,
in a moment,
in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound,
and the dead will be raised imperishable,
and we will be changed.

For this perishable body must put on imperishability,
and this mortal body must put on immor­tality.

When this perishable body puts on imperishability,
and this mor­tal body puts on immortality,
then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:
"Death has been swallowed up in victory.
Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"

The sting of death is sin,
and the power of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God,
who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from Paul’s Letter to the Philippians

Our citizenship is in heaven,
and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ.

He will transform the body of our humiliation
that it may be conformed to the body of his glory
by the power that also enables him
to make all things subject to him­self.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians

We do not want you to be uninformed,
brothers and sisters,
about those who have died,
so that you may not grieve as others do
who have no hope.

For since we believe
that Jesus died and rose again,
even so, through Jesus,
God will bring with him those who have died.

For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord,
that we who are alive,
who are left until the coming of the Lord,
will by no means precede those who have died.

For the Lord himself,
with a cry of command,
with the archangel's call
and with the sound of God's trumpet,
will descend from heaven,
and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we who are alive who are left,
will be caught up in the clouds
together with them to meet the Lord in the air;
and so we will be with the Lord forever.

Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy

Remember Jesus Christ,
raised from the dead,
a descendant of David -
that is my gospel,
for which I suffer hardship,
even to the point of being chained like a criminal.

But the word of God is not chained.

Therefore I endure everything
for the sake of the elect,
so that they may also obtain the salvation
that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

"The saying is sure:

If we have died with him,
we will also live with him;
if we endure,
we will also reign with him;
if we deny him,
he will also deny us;
if we are faithless,
he remains faithful -
for he cannot deny himself.”

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the First Letter of John

See what love the Father has given us,
that we should he called children of God;
and that is what we are.

The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.

Beloved,
we are God's children now;
what we will be
has not yet been revealed.
What we do know is this:
when he is revealed,
we will be like him,
for we will see him as he is.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the First Letter of John

We know that we have passed from death to life
because we love one another.

Whoever does not love abides in death.

All who hate a brother or sister are murderers,
and you know that murderers
do not have eternal life abiding in them.

We know love by this,
that he laid down his life for us -
and we ought to lay down our lives for one another.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the Book of Revelation

I heard a voice from heaven saying,

"Write this:
Blessed are the dead
who from now on die in the Lord."

"Yes,"
says the Spirit,
"they will rest from their labors,
for their deeds follow them."

The Word of the Lord

1. A reading from the Book of Revelation

Then I saw a great white throne
and the one who sat on it;
the earth and the heaven
fled from his presence,
and no place was found for them.

And I saw the dead,
great and small,
stand­ing before the throne,
and books were opened.

Also another book was opened,
the book of life.
And the dead were judged
according to their works,
as recorded in the books.
And the sea gave up the dead that were in it,
Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them,
and all were judged ac­cording to what they had done.

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.
This is the second death, the lake of fire;
and anyone whose name was not found written in the
book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth;
for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,
and the sea was no more.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the Book of Revelation

I saw a new heaven and a new earth;
for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,
and the sea was no more.

And I saw the holy city,
the new Jerusalem,
com­ing down out of heaven from God,
pre­pared as a bride adorned for her hus­band.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them as their God;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.”

And the one who was seated on the throne said,

"See, I am making all things new.
I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the beginning and the end.
To the thirsty I will give water
as a gift from the spring of the water of life.
Those who con­quer will inherit these things,
and I will be their God and they will be my chil­dren.”

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from Paul to the Corinthians

So we do not lose heart.
Even though our outer nature is wasting away,
Our inner nature is being renewed day by day.
For this slight momentary affliction
is preparing us for an eternal weight
of glory beyond all measure,
because we look not at what can be seen
but at what cannot be seen;
for what can be seen is temporary,
but what cannot be seen is eternal,

The Word of the Lord

A reading from the letter of Paul to Titus.

When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared,
he saved us,
not because of any works of righteousness that we had done,
but according to his mercy,
through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

This Spirit he poured out on us richly
through Jesus Christ our Saviour,
so that, having been justified by his grace,
we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

The Word of the Lord.

A Reading from the Second Letter of Paul to Timothy

As for me,
I am already being poured out
As a libation
And the time of my departure has come.

I have fought the good fight,
I have finished the race,
I have kept the faith.

From now on there is reserved for me
The crown of righteousness,
Which the Lord, the righteous judge,
Will give me on that day,
And not only to me
But also to all who have longed for his appearing.

The Word of the Lord.

A Reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

Nothing therefore can come between us and the love of Christ.
Even if we are troubled or worried,
or being persecuted,
or lacking food or clothes,
or being threatened or even attacked.
These are the trials through which we triumph,
by the power of him who loved us.

For I am certain of this:
neither death nor life,
no angel, no prince,
nothing that exists,
nothing still to come,
not any power or height or depth,
nor any created thing,
can ever come between us and the love of God
made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Word of the Lord

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Ephesians

This, then, is what I pray,
kneeling before the father,
from whom every family,
whether spiritual or natural,
takes its name

Out of his infinite glory,
may he give you the power
Through the spirit
For your hidden self to grow strong,
So that Christ
May live in your hearts through faith,
And then, planted in love
And built on love,
You will with all the saints
Have strength to grasp
The breadth and the length,
The height and the depth,
Until knowing the love of Christ,
Which is beyond all knowledge,
You are filled with the utter fullness of God,

Glory be to him whose power,
Working in us,
Can do infinitely more
Than we can ask or imagine;
Glory be to him
From generation to generation
In the church
And in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.

The Word of the Lord

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

You have been taught
that when we were baptized in Christ Jesus
we were baptized in his death;
in other words,
when we were baptized,
we went into the tomb with him
and joined him in death,
so that as Christ was raised from the dead
by the Fathers glory,
we too might live a new life.

The Word of the Lord

A reading from the First letter of Peter

Blessed be god the father of our lord Jesus Christ
who in his great mercy
has given us a new birth as his sons and daughters,
by raising Jesus Christ from the dead,
so that we have a sure hope
and the promise of an inheritance
that can never be spoiled or soiled
and never fade away, because it is being kept for you in the heavens.

Through your faith,
God's power will guard you until the salvation
which has been prepare is revealed at the end of time.

This is a cause of great joy for you,
even though you may for a short time
have to bear being plagued by all sorts of trials;
so that, when Jesus Christ is revealed,
your faith will have been tested
and proved like gold
only it is more precious than gold, which is corruptible,
even though it bears testing by fire
and then you will have praise and glory and honour.
You did not see him, yet you loved him;
and still without seeing him,
you are already filled with a joy so glorious
that it cannot be described,
because you believe;
and you are sure of the end
to which your faith looks forward,
that is the salvation of your souls.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from Paul to the Corinthians

So we do not lose heart.
Even though our outer nature is wasting away,
our inner nature is being renewed day by day.

For this slight momentary affliction
is preparing us for an eternal weight
of glory beyond all measure,
because we look not at what can be seen
but at what cannot be seen;
for what can be seen is temporary,
but what cannot be seen is eternal.

The Word of the Lord

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain;
and after he sat down, his disciples came to him.

Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are per­secuted for righteousness' sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people re­vile you
and persecute youand utter all kinds of evil
against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.”

The Gospel of the Lord

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew

At that time Jesus said,

"I thank you, Father,
Lord of heaven and earth,
because you have hidden these things
from the wise and the intelligent
and have revealed them to infants;
yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.

All things have been handed over to me by my Father;
and no one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Come to me,
all you that are weary and are carrying heavy bur­dens,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me;
for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

The Gospel of the Lord

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew

"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this.

Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.

When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them;
but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.
As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept.

But at midnight there was a shout,
'Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.'

Then all those brides­maids got up and trimmed their lamps.
The foolish said to the wise,
'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'
But the wise replied,
'No! there will not be enough for you and for us;
you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.'

And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came,
and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet:
and the door was shut.

Later the other bridesmaids came also saying,
‘Lord, lord, open to us.”

But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’

Keep awake therefore,
for you know neither the day nor the hour.

The Gospel of the Lord

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gath­ered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom pre­pared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 1 was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.

Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.'

Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'You that are accursed, depart from me into the eter­nal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me cloth­ing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'

Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did no take care of you?'

Then he will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

The Gospel of the Lord

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark.

When it was noon,
darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.
At three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice,
“Eloi, Aloi, lema sabach thani." which means,
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, "Listen, he is calling for Elijah."
And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine,
put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying,
"Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down."

Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.
And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
Now when the centurion, who stood facing him,
saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was God's Son!"

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene,
and Mary the mother of James,
and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.
And very early on the first day of the week,when the sun had risen,
they went to the tomb.
They had been saying to one another,
"Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?"
When they looked up, they saw that the stone,
which was very large, had already been rolled back.
As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man,
dressed n a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
But he said to them,
"Do not be alarmed; you are looking Jesus of Nazareth,
who was crucified.He has been raised; he is not here.
Look, there is the place where they laid him.”

The Gospel of the Lord

A Reading from the Gospel according to Luke

Soon afterwards he went to a town called Nain,
and his disciples and a large crowd went with him.

As he approached the gate of the town,
a man who had died was being carried out.
He was his mother's only son, and she was a widow;
and with her was a large crowd from the town.

When the Lord saw her,
he had compassion for her and said to her,
"Do not weep."
Then he came forward and touched the bier,
and the bearers stood still.
And he said, "Young man, I say to you, rise!"

The dead man sat up and be­gan to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.

Fear seized all of them; and they glorified God, saying,
"A great prophet has risen among us!" and
"God has looked favorably on his people!"
This word about him spread
throughout Judea and all the surrounding country.

The Gospel of the Lord

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke

Jesus said:

"Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit;
be like those who are waiting for their master to return
from the wedding banquet,
so that they may open the door for him
as soon as he comes and knocks.

Blessed are those slaves
whom the master finds alert when he comes;
truly I tell you,
he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat
and he will come and serve them.

If he comes during the middle of the night,
or near dawn, and finds them so,
blessed are those slaves.

But know this:
if the owner of the house had known
at what hour the thief was coming,
he would not have let his house be broken into.

You also must be ready,
for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

The Gospel of the Lord.

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke

When they came to the place that is called The Skull,
they cru­cified Jesus there with the criminals,
one on his right and one on his left.

One of the criminals who were hanged there
kept deriding him and saying,
"Are you not the Messiah?
Save yourself and us!"

But the other rebuked him, saying,
"Do you not fear God,
since you are under the same sen­tence of condemnation?
And we in­deed have been condemned justly,
for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds,
but this man has done nothing wrong.

Then he said,
"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

He replied,
"Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

The Gospel of the Lord

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke

It was now about noon,
and darkness came over the whole land.
until three in the afternoon,
while the sun's light failed;
and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.

Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said,
"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.
Having said this, he breathed his last.

Now there was a good and righ­teous man named Joseph,
who, though a member of the council,
had not agreed to their plan and action.
This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth,
and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid.
It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning.

But on the first day of the week,
at dawn, they came to the tomb,
taking the spices that they had prepared.
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
but when they went in, they did not find the body.
While they were perplexed about this,
suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them.
The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground,
but the men said to them,
“Why do you look for the living among the dead?
He is not here, but has risen.”

The Gospel of the Lord

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus,
about seven miles from Jerusalem,
and talking with each other about all these things that had happened.
While they were talking and discussing,
Jesus himself came near and went with them,
but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

As they came near the village to which they were going,
he walked ahead as if he were going on.

But they urged him strongly, saying,
"Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over."

So he went in to stay with them.
When he was at the table with them,
he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.
Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him;
and he vanished from their sight.
They said to each other,
"Were not our hearts burning within us
while he was talking to us on the road,
while he was opening the scriptures to us?"
That same hour they got up and re­turned to Jerusalem;
and they found the eleven and their companions gath­ered together.

They were saying,
"The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!"

Then they told what had happened on the road,
and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

The Gospel of the Lord

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John

Very truly, I tell you,
anyone who hears my word
and believes him who sent me has eternal life,
and does not come under judgment,
but has passed from death to life.

"Very truly, I tell you,
the hour is coming,
and is now here,
when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God,
and those who hear will live.

For just as the Father has life in himself,
so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself;
and he has given him authority to execute judgment,
be­cause he is the Son of Man.
Do not be astonished at this;
for the hour is com­ing when all who are in their graves will hear his voice
and will come out -
those who have done good,
to the resurrection of life,
and those who have done evil,
to the resurrection of condemnation.

The Gospel of the Lord

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John

Jesus said:

“Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away;
for I have come down from heaven,
not to do my own will,
but the will of him who sent me.

And this is the will of him who sent me,
that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me,
but raise it up on the last day.

This is indeed the will of my Father,
that all who see the Son and believe in him
may have eternal life;
and I will raise them up on the last day."

The Gospel of the Lord

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John

Jesus said to the crowd:

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven.
Whoever eats of this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh"

The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying,
"How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

So Jesus said to them,

"Very truly, I tell you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you have no life in you.
Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life,
and I will raise them up on the last day;
for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.
Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood
abide in me, and I in them.
Just as the living Father sent me,
and I live because of the Father,
so whoever eats me will live because of me.

This is the bread that came down from heaven,
not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died.
But the one who eats this bread will live forever."

He said these things
while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.

The Gospel of the Lord

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John

When Jesus arrived,
he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.
Now Bethany was near Jerusalem,
some two miles away, and many of the Jews
had come to Martha and Mary
to console them about their brother.

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home.

Martha said to Jesus,
"Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know
that God will give you whatever you ask of him."

Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."

Martha said to him,
"I know that he will rise again in the resurrec­tion on the last day."

Jesus said to her,
"I am the resurrection and the life.
Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live,
and every­one who lives and believes in me
will never die. Do you believe this?"

She said to him,
"Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah,
the Son of God, the one coming into the world."

The Gospel of the Lord

A Reading from the Holy according to John

When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him,
she knelt at his feet and said to him,
"Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping,
he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved.
He said, "Where have you laid him?"
They said to him, "Lord, come and see."
Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"

But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"
Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.
Jesus said, “Take away the stone."
Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him,
"Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days."

Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed,
you would see the glory of God?"
So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked up­ward and said,
"Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me,
but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here,
so that they may believe that you sent me."
When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"

The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth,
and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."
Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary
and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.

The Gospel of the Lord

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John

Jesus told the disciples:

"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,
it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
Those who love their life lose it,
and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am,
there will my servant be also. whoever serves me, the Father will honor.

"Now my soul is troubled.
And what should I say ‘Father, save me from this hour’?
No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour.
Father, glorify your name."

Then a voice came from heaven,
"I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again."

The Gospel of the Lord

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.
Believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father's house there are many dwelling places.
If it were not so,
would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
And if go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again and will take you to my­self,
so that where I am, there you may be also.
And you know the way to the place where I am going."

Thomas said to him,
"Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?"

Jesus said to him:
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me."

The Gospel of the Lord

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:

“Father, I desire that those also,
whom you have given me, may be with me where I am,
to see my glory, which you have given me
because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

Righteous Father,
the world does not know you,but I know you;
and these know that you have sent me.
I made your name known to them,
and I will make it known,
so that the love with which you have loved me
may be in them, and I in them.

The Gospel of the Lord

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John

Carrying the cross by himself,
he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull,
which in Hebrew is called Golgotha.
There they crucified him, and with him two others,
one on either side, with Jesus between them.
And that is what the soldiers did.

Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus
were his mother, and his mother's sister,
Mary the wife of Clo­pas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus saw his mother
and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her,
he said to his mother,
"Woman, here is your son."

Then he said to the disci­ple,
"Here is your mother."

And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.
After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished,
he said {in order to fulfill the scripture},
"I am thirsty."

A jar full of sour wine was standing there.
So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop
and held it to his mouth.

When Jesus had re­ceived the wine, he said,
"It is fin­ished."
Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

The Gospel of the Lord

Prayers of the Faithful (A)

Introductory statement by the presider.

The response to our prayers is: Hear our prayer. (Pause)

In baptism, __________ received the light of Christ. Scatter the darkness now and lead him/her over the waters of death.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

Our brother/sister __________ was nourished at the table of the Savior. Welcome him/her into the halls of the heavenly banquet.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

Many friends and members of our families have gone before us and await the kingdom. Grant them an everlasting home with your Son.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

Many people die by violence, war and famine each day. Show your mercy to those who suffer so unjustly these sins against your love, and gather them to the eternal kingdom of peace.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

Those who trusted in the Lord now sleep in the Lord. Give refreshment, rest and peace to all whose faith is known to you alone.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

The family and friends of __________ seek comfort and consolation. Heal their pain and dispel the darkness and doubt that comes from grief.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

We are assembled here in faith and confidence to pray for our brother/sister __________. Strengthen our hope so that we may live in the expectation of your Son’s coming.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

Concluding prayer by the presider.

Prayers of the Faithful (B)

Introductory statement by the presider.

The response to our prayers is: Hear our prayer. (Pause)

For, __________ , who in baptism was given the pledge of eternal life, that he/she may now be admitted to the company of the saints.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

For our brother/sister who ate the body of Christ, the bread of life, that he/she may be raised up on the last day.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

For our deceased relatives and friends and for all who have helped us, that they may have the reward of their goodness.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

For those who have fallen asleep in the hope of rising again, that they may see God face to face.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

For the family and friends of our brother/sister __________ that they may be consoled in their grief by the Lord, who wept at the death of his friend Lazarus.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

For all of us assembled here to worship in faith, that we may be gathered together again in God’s kingdom.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

Concluding prayer by the presider.

Introductory statement by the presider.

The response to our prayers is: Lord, hear our prayer. (Pause)

That the bishops and priests of the Church, and all who preach the Gospel, may be given the strength to express in action the word they proclaim.
We pray to the Lord: Lord, hear our prayer.

That those in public office may promote justice and peace.
We pray to the Lord: Lord, hear our prayer.

That those who bear the cross of pain in mind and body may never feel forsaken by God.
We pray to the Lord: Lord, hear our prayer.

That God may deliver the soul of his servant __________ from punishment and from the powers of darkness.
We pray to the Lord: Lord, hear our prayer.

That God in his mercy may blot out all his offences.
We pray to the Lord: Lord, hear our prayer.

That God may establish him in light and peace.
We pray to the Lord: Lord, hear our prayer.

That God may call him to happiness in the company of all the saints.
We pray to the Lord: Lord, hear our prayer.

That God may welcome into his glory those of our family and friends who have departed this life.
We pray to the Lord: Lord, hear our prayer.

That God may give a place in the kingdom of heaven to all the faithful departed.
We pray to the Lord: Lord, hear our prayer.

Concluding prayer by the presider.